


delayed reaction

by Radio Rascal (Vagrants)



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (Cartoon)
Genre: Implied Police Brutality, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pre-Relationship, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:49:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27035956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vagrants/pseuds/Radio%20Rascal
Summary: Prowl and Jetfire have an illuminating conversation.
Relationships: Jetfire/Prowl (Transformers)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 32





	delayed reaction

**Author's Note:**

> so there was this TF rarepair week over on tumblr but i realized today that the blog was deleted and the event creator's main blog was password-locked so...idk what Happened there but i'm going to start posting the fics a couple days early. this was for day one and the prompt was "intimacy/time."

Prowl extracted the chip from Jetfire’s head with slow deliberateness, treating it like it was a bomb. In a way it was. The entire time, he was worried it would go off at random, as they did on rare occasions during his time in Praxus. Despite how he thought he should feel about being so close to a dangerous Decepticon, he wanted Jetfire to survive.

He threw the chip out of sight, hearing it clack against the floor somewhere. “I don’t even know why I had that on me,” he said.

“It proved useful,” Jetfire replied, lifting himself from the table. He started replacing his own skull plates and helm without help. “I do not begrudge it.”

“I do. But at least we got through it.” Prowl paused. “Thank you, for what you did back there. You didn’t have to risk your life like that, but you did it.”

“Of course I risked my life. What is the point of redemption without atonement?”

“I...agree.” Prowl stood from the chair he’d taken while he performed the delicate operation of the chip’s removal.

Jetfire stepped towards him, towering and still mildly intimidating. They were alone in the little room because Prowl wanted to display trust in some way. “I left the Decepticons because I could not abide by Megatron’s acts of genocide. I did not decide to help you because I thought your faction was more moral.”

“Fair enough. Primus knows I’ve done terrible things.”

“Do you feel as though you are making up for it?”

“I guess. I don’t know.” He sighed. “What else can I do?”

“For what it’s worth, I believe you’re doing quite well.”

“Uh. Thanks. You’re...you’re not doing too bad yourself.” Prowl lifted his hand as if to give him a shoulder pat, but thought better of it. He wanted to show trust, but he was still apprehensive about being around a Decepticon. “The Autobots will get used to you over time.”

“I don’t count on it,” Jetfire muttered. “But I don’t begrudge them that, either. If they don’t want anything to do with me, that’s fine. I am here for my own honor, not to make friends.” He leaned forward. “That said, I am not resistant to the idea of making friends.”

Prowl felt a blush rising. He wished his face wasn’t so damn pale. “Oh, really?”

Jetfire nodded. “Among the Decepticons, cruelty is favored. You must be hard on everyone around you to get ahead, and then to hold your position. Here is different.” He gave Prowl a once-over. “I am excited to explore these new opportunities.”

Prowl felt an excited tingle up his spinal strut, but he forced himself to step back. “Jetfire, this is—” Was it inappropriate or did it just make him uncomfortable? No, no that wasn’t right either. Jetfire’s actions didn’t make him uncomfortable—his own feelings did. “You can’t.”

“Can’t what, little Autobot?”

“Flirt with me!”

Jetfire smiled. “Is that what I was doing? My apologies.”

“You know what you’re doing, con!”

“You didn’t tell me to stop,” Jetfire noted. “Just that I ‘can’t,’ for nebulous reasons.”

“Well...you got me there,” Prowl said, averting his eyes. “It’s just...we’re…”

“From different worlds. But for all our differences, Prowl,” he almost purred the name, “I believe we have much in common.”

Did they? The Autobot spirit in him wanted to argue—was Jetfire really wrong, though? “I guess we do,” he forced out.

“Those commonalities could be the foundation of something more, if you were willing.”

“Yes.” He shook his head. “I mean...yes, it could. I’m not willing.”

“Oh? I see…”

“Because the timing’s bad,” Prowl said quickly.

“Ah. I see your point. These are strange times, even by our standards.”

Prowl stepped back. “Maybe...if we both survive to see the end of all this...then we can see if it works.”

Jetfire smiled. Prowl didn’t know how to feel about how good he thought he looked. “I guess that’s all the more motivation to protect you, then. And to preserve myself.”

“Hey, I’m not helpless. I guess I do owe you after the Sea of Rust.”

“Owe me? Prowl, I considered that getting even with you. It was you who allowed me to prove myself to the others.”

“That is...certainly one way to look at it.” Prowl turned to the door. “Anyway, we better go back to the others. We’ve been in here for a while.”

Jetfire kept pace with him. “You won’t forget our talk, will you?”

“I don’t think I could even if I wanted to. It’s not every day that...uh...that sort of thing happens.”

“I suppose not.”

Prowl knew nothing could happen between them right now. It would be disastrous. He hoped they both survived to the day when they could discuss this again, and judging by the glowing, nervous feeling in his spark, he could guess what his answer would be.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! the rest of the fics should come out once per day, as if the event was going on, but don't hold me to that.


End file.
